Philippe Vasilescu is a 34-year-old entrepreneur, originally from Paris, France, who is thriving in the hyper-competitive industries of fine wine and spirits, luxury events, and public relations. With more than 10 years of experience in seven countries, Philippe has sold millions, hosted elite events, and formed relationships with his industry’s most influential partners, even serving as ambassador to the high-end cognac brand LOUIS XIII.
Distress Tips
As one might expect, these entrepreneurial pursuits are often highly stressful and packed with potential pitfalls. In his decade of experience, however, Philippe has learned several tips that help manage these stresses and overcome these obstacles. “Take 30 minutes every morning without turning on your phone. Focus your energy on planning your day and prepare yourself for the amount of stress that you will face,” he shares. “Maximize your time and your priorities of the day on your to-do list by allocating time for each. This will help you to stress over the most time consuming situations.” He also says that to avoid burnout, stick to a routine that emphasizes physical activity as an escape from work. “Exercise, exercise, exercise! Go out, just even to take a walk. Whatever it takes for you to get out of your desk,” Philippe adds.
Building a Routine
To many people, especially busy entrepreneurs, creating and maintaining those habits can be as daunting as the work itself. To combat this, Philippe shares his wisdom on establishing successful habits such as reading (he suggests at least one book per month to always be learning): “Create your to-do list and categorize,” he explains. “It might seem like classic advice, but it works. Not only are you able to list everything and categorize, but it also helps with self-satisfaction.” From there, he continues, it’s important to maintain perspective on just how productive and useful even the small victories can be. “There are no little successes,” Philippe adds. “Find at least one success per day. End each day by listing the successes of your day and pick the right one that you are specifically proud of.”
Keeping Motivated
With such success at such a young age, it would be easy for Philippe to rest on his laurels or become complacent with the clientele and experiences he has already procured. He says, however, that this is not a trap he falls into. “I am a self made person,” he proclaims. “Throughout my career, I have always been striving to do more and ask for more and this is what motivates me. While some others have their satisfaction with the work done, I take my satisfaction for receiving more and more.” While this means working hard, it also means continuing to learn, grow, reflect and improve. “It is essential for me to also learn and diversify my skills since there is no limit to how much you can learn and how skills combine themselves,” he adds.
Philippe’s Advice
As he reflects on the past decade of lessons learned and victories achieved, Philippe considers what advice he might share for entrepreneurs who are just starting on their journey. “Do not wait to start,” he begins. “I know the time is hard and uncertain, and I am sure it can look like Everest to climb and it may look scary, but step back. There is no ideal situation to start. Just start.”